Saturday, October 30, 2010

Dia de los Muertos Festival on Halloween


The Dia de los Muertos Festival is happening this year at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, tomorrow from 10am-4pm. It is a free event that features a parade, a chalk cemetery, altars and vendors selling Day of the Dead merchandise. There is also a lot of kid-friendly stuff like hands-on crafts and a bean bag toss competition. Sounds like a fun way to spend the day and educate your kids about different cultures and their traditions.

By the way, the sugar skull making class at Vintage Religion was not only fun but informative too. I have the recipe now and even bought the mold, so expect to to attend a class by me next year!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Malice in Wonderland


Tonight, Halloween malice in wonderland with Maystar's Masquerade Ball downtown! Last chance to get pre-sale tickets, since it may be sold out at the door. Fashion show and Dance party down the rabbit hole at Vin de Syrah, plus lots of curious costumes.


And here, some Annie Leibovitz for Vogue, goodness to get'cha in the mood...



"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" -Alice in Wonderland

Man, do I wish I had this incredible kit by Urban Decay tonight! Sooooo, perfect.
At any rate, see you there!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Modern day Mad Scientist


"My friend the Witch Doctor, she told me what to do, she said..." You'll never believe this, but gargle cayenne pepper?! I have had a sore throat for several weeks, and it's getting annoying, I've tried everything, except Leah's remedy which I will try today!

This time of year everyone is already sick, getting sick, or just doesn't know it yet. I'd like to introduce
The Folk Potion's Blog, created by a local health goddess, Leah Brucker.

If we press rewind and go back to a time before the introduction of the pharmaceutical industry and modern medicine, people and animals made use of the natural resources available to them. In observation of more primitive and wild animals, scientists and indigenous healers alike, find that animals will seek out bitter plants and herbs when ailing because of their inherent antibacterial and antiviral properties. Animals intuitively and miraculously understand how to self-medicate in the wild.
[Folk Potion's] encourages self-responsibility, vigilance, and accountability for our own health by avoiding abuse of prescription drugs, antibiotics, and chemicals if alternative cures exist. Folk and alternative medicine is a safe, healthy, and inexpensive way to to heal our minds and bodies (from website.)


Instead of using over the counter medicines that have their own set of side effects, why not try some alternative forms of health and healing using supplies you may already own and/or techniques that don't require a fee! Check out Folk Potion's for your own remedies, or contact Leah if you have something specific she can give advice for.

Another great tool from my own collection, which costs less than $10.00 and is an everlasting resource, Heal your Body a book by Louise Hay. It offers hundreds of solutions for healing the root/psychological issues beneath some re-occurring health issues in an easy to access A-Z guide. It even comes in an iPhone application that you can purchase for your phone, if you're the techno-hippie type.


Feel well today!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Bread of the Dead

Pan de Muertos is a Mexican bread traditionally baked in late October/ early November as part of the Dia de los Muertos holiday. Here is a simple recipe to try yourself...

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of anise seed
2 tablespoons of orange blossom water (can be substituted for the anise seeds to add flavor)
2 packets of dry yeast
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup of butter
4 eggs3-4 1/2 cups of additional flour
confectioner's sugar or colored sugar (optional)


Directions:


1. Mix all dry ingredients together except the 3-4 1/2 cups of flour

2. In a small pan, heat the milk, the water, and the butter. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture.

3. Beat well.

4. Mix in the eggs and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Beat well.

5. Put in the rest of the flour, little by little.

6. Knead the mixture on a floured board for 9 - 10 minutes.

7. Put the dough in a greased bowl and allow it to rise until it has doubled in size (about an hour and a half).

8. Punch the dough down and reshape it as bones or easy shapes like hearts, or bones, or if you have molds you can use those to make skulls and/or just form medium sized round balls.

9. Let it rise another hour.

10. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.

11. After baking, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar and/or colored sugar.



If you are like me, with a tendency to burn things, you can just pick up an already made Pan de Muertos at Con Pane in Point Loma inside Liberty Station. They are baking loafs October 29th through November 2nd, and like all their other brioche's, are delicious, filling and affordable.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Ode to Olive


Not just during the fall, but year 'round, in my choice of clothes and decor I generally like jewel tones that are infected with a bit of dirt, hues that are slightly darker that could potentially come from the earth. Strangely, most of my favorites are named after foods: eggplant, avocado, mustard and olive to name a few. Maybe I find warmth from the moodier tones and/or am subconsciously trying to mask the fact that I live in a desert!

Here are some crave-able color combination's using Olive green that makes me especially happy.


Olive with Teal/ Blue

Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the background- Vincent van Gogh 1889


Olive with Gray
/ Charcoal

I want, no NEED a window seat


Olive with Red
Tiny Robot bell jars, cute!


Olive with Chocolate Brown

Cluttered, but inviting


Olive with White
or Oatmeal

Paired with cube's for a vintage vibe office space


Olive with Mustard Yellow

I love how an abandoned pallet becomes re-purposed into a plate rack.
The raw wood tones with the mustard plates feels very organic. Just watch out for splinters, right?!



Olive with Fuchsia

Pink, probably my favorite


Olive with Black & White

Love this buttoned couch, very classy


Olive with Purple/ Plum/ Eggplant

Purple and gold makes it pop


Olive with Orange/ Rust/ Burnt Umber


I love this living room, which must be inspired by van Gogh's palate in this olive tree painting
(but would definitely add a rug in there to warm it up)

Try adding some olive to your home this fall. It's a surprising neutral color that looks great with just about any color, but if you get stuck, use the suggestions above.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Rocky Horror Picture show's at La Paloma

This is the last Friday to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas. If you haven't gone already, you've missed out on their lingerie night (sounds fun) but you have several extra chances to go this weekend. The movie is showing at 9pm and Midnight Friday through Sunday, and costs $10.00. FYI, this theatre is old and operates accordingly, with somewhat shotty audio and picture, and inability to take credit cards. It makes up for it in character though, since it originally opened in 1928.

While you're there, check out a weird shop down the street called Coast Highway Trader's. Half souvenir shop, half authentic imports, they've got some great Day of the Dead-wares at prices comparable to Mexico's. There is also a Flashback's a couple doors down if you are still looking for a last minute costume...









Friday, October 22, 2010

Return to Oz & Penner


Return to Oz, one of my favorite films of all time, continues to inspire and delight me after all these years. Fairuza Balk in her first ever role plays Dorothy, mentally affected from her return to the normal world after her exposure to Oz. Her family eventually takes her to a psychotherapist who administers electric-shock treatments in an eerie facility that looks more like a dungeon than a hospital. During a huge storm she manages to escape and awakes to find herself back in Oz, which has deteriorated drastically since she was there last. Her journey takes her to creepy characters such as the Wheeler's, Mombi, the witch with ever-changing heads, dancing women frozen to stone, in addition to new slightly deranged side kicks that help her along the way.


This film is packed with magical scenes, with beautiful landscape shots of a decayed Emerald City, fantasy characters in elaborate dress, and all the traditional key players in a new, darker and more disturbed setting. I was delighted to discover an artist that seems to share the same subtle appreciation. Alia Penner creates photography, illustrations and design that feel like extended frames from Return to Oz.

Carriage ride into town


Lost Girls 2006



Dorothy at the Institution

3D Bed 2009



Statues with the Wheeler's & city of ruins

Mystical Animal Collection 2009



Mombi, the witch
Bandstand 2008




Ozma and Dorothy

Belles of Black Diamond Field

Spell 2009




The lunch tree (one of my favorite things)

Imagine our love still 2008



The ride to Emerald City

Success 2009



The Yellow Brick Road

Lauren 2007

An exceptional movie, and an inspirational artist. Hope you enjoy!